Law & Order: CI The Temptation Of Goren
by Lina-Baggins
Summary: Goren falls hard for the new junior detective on the major case squad... who happens to be Eames' niece! A nice change to the EamesGoren love story about love in the workplace... NOW COMPLETE! CH7 is finished with soundtrack list for each chapter.
1. Chapter One: Goren falls hard

The Temptation of Goren: A Criminal Intent Fan Fiction.

I own only one character: Maria Eames.

Characters:

As in CI, with the addition of Maria Eames (aka Me!), related to Detective Eames (niece). I'm actually 18, but for the purpose of literary licence (and American law), in this story I am 22.

Senior Detective Bobby Goren tapped his pencil slowly and methodically on his neat, orderly desk as his partner, Detective Alexandria Eames rushed into the office, throwing her coat around her shoulders and stuffing what appeared to be a letter in her mouth. Goren cocked his head to one side and studied his partner.

'What's the rush?' he asked simply, leaning languidly back in his chair. Eames spat out the letter and thrust it across to him.

'I am so late! I was supposed to pick up my niece Maria from Boston Airport today and she landed twenty minutes ago!' Eames groaned, grabbing her bag and snatching back the letter. Goren tipped his head to the opposite side.

'Your niece?'

'She's Australian, 22, was a junior detective with Brisbane Homicide before being transferred to Sydney. She's taken a posting here as the new junior detective on the major case squad.'

'I wasn't planning on retiring any time soon,' Goren replied dryly. Eames rolled her eyes at Goren.

'For your information, Maria is a highly intelligent girl. She completed her university degree in Microbiology in high school and was made detective in her first four months with Brisbane Homicide. She speaks Spanish and French and according to her mother, no one has ever beaten her at chess,' Eames said proudly. Goren had the decency to look impressed.

'So when do I get to meet this wonder-kid?'

'Soon, I think,' Eames replied, before shooting out of the door. Goren sat back and chewed on his pencil, before returning to the book he had been reading.

The following day, Goren arrived at his desk at his usual time and set up camp like he usually did. Dragging a manilla folder across his desk to the centre and flipped it open. The major case he was working on didn't require much brain power to figure out, but somehow, to Goren, things just didn't seem to gel properly. Each of the homicides was a kind of riddle, all of which Goren had solved, but somehow, he felt there was a connection between them. It was odd, even for Goren's superior detective skills.

A loud laugh broke into the silence of Goren's thoughts, causing him to jerk his head up past where his right hand had been rubbing his forehead. Above the neat piles of paperwork, Goren could make out the top of Eames' head, as well as D.A Carver's head, along with a mass of copper curls that he didn't recognise.

Trying in vain to spot the mystery visitor from around the mountains of paper, Goren stood up. The floor was empty, and Carver was reading a file with a smile on his face. Goren left his office and strolled unhurriedly over to the D.A.

'Carver, what's that?' he asked bluntly upon arrival. Carver smiled and handed him the folder.

'That kid is absolutely amazing, Bobby. You know those homicides that you were working on? Well, Eames' niece found the files last night at home and solved the case in fifteen minutes. Take a look.'

Goren flipped through the files. Straight away, from Eames' niece's notes, he spotted the connection; each riddle had come from a certain book of brain-teasers that had limited release, due to bad sales. Tracking the sales of the book hadn't been a problem and the murders were eventually traced back to the author's wife, who had been bitter over her husband's suicide over his book's flop. Goren snapped the file shut and handed it back to Carver.

'She really is a whiz-kid, isn't she?' he mused.

'She's really funny, too. She was in here earlier with Eames, had me cracking a rib.'

'Yeah, I saw the top of her head. Hilarious.'

Carver shrugged and filed the report.

'Look, you gotta meet her. She's a pretty amazing kid. She's only twenty-two, but you wouldn't believe it to hear her talk. Did her pH.D on Dengue Fever. Fascinating the way she spits on about it. You and her would be great mates.'

Later that night, Goren trudged along the dirty sidewalk that led to his apartment. The filthy street lamps cast a yellow glow on the dark street as Goren's hulking figure made it's way homeward.

A sharp noise caught his infallible ear and he cocked his head swiftly to the left to look point blanc down to his right. A dank alleyway stretched before him, unlit by the municipal lamps. From the darkness, Goren pieced together the image of two people in a struggle. He stepped quickly down the alley, ascertaining that a mugging was happening. He began to run, pulling out his gun from inside his trench coat and pointing it in front of him.  
'Hey!' he shouted at the struggle. The assailant looked up, startled to see Goren's heroic figure illuminated by the street-glow, the wind blowing the tail of his coat out like a cape.

'Back off!' Goren shouted. The mugger dropped the victim's bag and took off up the alley. Goren dropped his gun to his side, catching his breath from the athletic overture. The victim slumped against the dumpster. Goren rushed over, sheathing his weapon. He made a quick deduction that he was dealing with a woman, a young woman, so he bent down and draped her arm around his neck and carried her out into the open street.

In the light, Goren noticed that the woman had familiar long, curly copper hair, smooth, tanned skin and blue eyes. He also noticed that she was incredibly short, only 5'4" to his 6'4". She was also suffering from shock.

'Oh thank you, thank you so much,' she sobbed into his jacket, speaking in a strange accent. Goren, overcome by the show of emotion, swallowed and hugged her politely.

'There, there, it's all over now,' he said softly. The young woman looked up at him in gratitude, which quickly changed to recognition.

'Detective Robert Goren?' the woman asked disbelievingly. Goren was struck dumb for a moment.

'How did you know my name?' he asked, aghast. The woman smiled warmly.

'Eamesy told me all about you in her letters. Let me introduce myself,' she said, extending a hand. Goren took it gingerly.

'I'm Junior Detective Maria Lillian Eames, niece of Detective Alexandria Eames.'

'I still don't know how you recognised me,' Goren said as they headed back down the street. Maria shifted her bag on her shoulder.

'She described you well, Detective. 6'4", brown eyes, fair skin, curly yet slightly wavy hair highlighted with grey... you fit the profile.'

'You can stop calling me Detective. Everyone calls me Bobby.'

'Eamesy doesn't. She always calls you Goren in her letters.'

'Oh well. Goren or Bobby. Take your pick. But what I don't understand is what you were doing in the alley in the first place. Surely Eames would have told you that it just isn't safe these days in dark alleys? Or are the alleys in Brisbane a lot safer?' Goren joked. Maria laughed.

'No, Goren, the alleys in Brisbane are worse. In Brisbane, you are more likely to get murdered than mugged. I was on my way back to Eamesy's place from the newsagency when I got dragged off the street and into the alley and that... that... fiend,' Maria spat with vehemence, causing Goren to suppress a surge of appreciation for the spirited woman's extended vocabulary, 'began to hit me and demand my bag.'

'What did you tell him?' Goren chuckled.

'I told him to shove it up his rhetorical end,' Maria said promptly, causing Goren to break into uncontrolled laughter such that he had never experienced. He wasn't really laughing at her, moreover he was laughing at her actions in the face of danger. Maria just smiled and shook her head. Goren wiped his eyes and shrugged deeper into his coat.

'Oh dear, that was amusing,' he chortled boyishly. Maria flashed him a grin, causing Goren's face to flush, much to his embarrassment. Maria flicked her long hair back over her shoulders.

'Would you like me to walk you home?' Goren offered politely, holding his arm out in a gentlemanly fashion. Maria cocked her head to one side, smiling sweetly.

'Why Robert, that's very sweet of you,' she said softly, taking his arm. Goren grinned.

'Please, call me Bobby,' he said, as they turned the corner onto Eames' street.

The following day at work, Goren was surprised to see Eames and Maria come in together, chattering away and laughing at a private joke. Goren was surprised to feel that he wanted in on the joke. Maria was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans, broken-in runners and a white blouse, which Goren found to be extremely sexy on her. Her hair was swept up into a high pony-tail and she was wearing large hoop earrings with green centrepieces.

She spotted him from across the room and waved delightedly. Goren grinned slightly and gave a small, half-wave in his usual style, trying to down-play the racing of his heart. He looked down at his case files. She's twenty-two, Goren reminded himself. She's young enough to be your daughter...

'Hey, how's it going?' came the familiar voice. Goren looked up to see Eames and Maria standing in front of his desk. Goren smiled quickly.

'Hey again,' he replied briefly yet smoothly. Eames looked puzzled.

'You two have met?' Eames said, looking from Maria to Goren. Goren waved his hand.

'We met last night, actually. She was getting mugged and I was going home,' Goren said simply. Maria looked guilty as Eames gave her a furious look, but dropped the subject.

'Well, I'll leave you two to get better acquainted, while I drop these files into Carver,' Eames said as she swept off. Goren's eyes followed her out of the room, before scanning back to Maria. He leant back in his chair. Maria leaned on his desk. Goren was secretly pleased with the way she was looking at him. It was the same calculating look he gave people when he was summing them up.

Unbeknown to him, Maria was taking in far more. She studied his languid, elegant self-assurance; his muscular frame heavily set. Her eyes trawled the silvery waves of his hair, the curve of his determined jaw and his bright and intelligent eyes. She even noticed the soft lines that had begun to sculpt themselves into his gently sloping forehead. All in all, she found him very sexy, much to her own surprise. He was just her type.

Goren tilted his head and grinned.

'What are you lookin' at?' he said playfully. Maria smiled at him.

'Nothing, just summing you up like a lab experiment,' she said mysteriously. Standing up, Maria pirouetted and walked back to Eames' office. Goren watched her leave, his pencil sneaking back to his mouth as his eyes fixed on her swaying hips. He let the pencil rest on his lower lip, enjoying the image for as long as it lasted. Sitting upright, Goren dragged his notebook over to the centre of his desk and traced her name absent-mindedly in it. Over and over again.

Maria stopped off at Goren's desk after work, as he was packing his briefcase with incredible neatness. She watched him for a moment before breaking his concentration.

'Hey there, you,' she said softly, but Goren didn't look up.

'I knew you were there, Maria,' Goren said, his back to her. Maria smiled at his hunched figure.

'What did you want?'

'I wanted to thank you for what you did for me last night in the alley-way. Do you dance?'

'Eames tell you that?'

'No, but you have the feet for it.'

'Yes, I do dance, actually. Why?'

'Well, there's a ballroom dancing class that Eames signed me up for before I got here. Said it would help me make friends. I was wondering if you could show me a few steps before I go, then maybe come with me?' Maria said nervously. Goren turned around, highly aware of the stilted nature of her request, leading him to deduce that she had feelings for him. He smiled at her in a charming way.  
'What are you doing tonight?' he asked. Maria shrugged.

'Nothing, why?'

'When is the class?'

'Thursday night. Two nights from now.'

'If you wanted to, we can grab some Chinese, then you could come back to my place for a quick lesson,' Goren said thoughtfully, tapping his pencil against his lips. Maria watched him like a hawk, desperately fighting the desire to be the pencil...

'Maria?' Goren said, snapping her out of her day-dream.

'Yeah? Yeah. Sure, that sounds like a good idea,' Maria said, composing herself. Goren grinned.

'Then I'll see you around seven?' he asked. Maria smiled.

'You bet,' she said, escaping Goren's attention by scampering out of the room. Goren chuckled to himself. She was cute and very smart, but she was so naive.

Bobby opened the door for Maria as she stumbled over the mat at the door into his meagre living room. As he went into the kitchen to get her a glass of wine, she looked around and whistled softly.

'I guess being a detective doesn't pay as much as it used to,' she said as he re-entered the room, carrying to full glasses. He handed her one and clinked it against his own.

'Not when you're on your own,' he admitted, draining the glass in a swift gulp. Maria took a sip of the rich wine and set it down on his coffee table. Goren began shifting the furniture out of the way, clearing an area to dance in. Maria gave him a hand, which halved the time. Goren dusted off his hands and looked at her.

'So what dance did you really want to learn?' he asked. Maria's eyes lit up.

'Do you know how to tango?' she asked excitedly. Goren laughed and nodded, stepping swiftly over to the stereo and pulling out some old Spanish music records.

'Wait!' Maria called, bounding over as she rummaged in her bag before retrieving a battered CD. Handing it to him triumphantly, she grinned up at him. Goren raised an eyebrow at her.

'Put on track thirteen,' she instructed. Goren looked at her.

'Who is Guy Sebastian?' he asked. Maria's mouth dropped open.

'He is only the most influential Australian R'n'B artist today!' she said, as if Goren was asking her who Albert Einstein was. Goren shook his head and loaded the CD. Taking his place with her in the centre of the room, the song's first bluesy bars blasting out of the speakers as Goren swung into action. To his surprise, Maria moved like water; following his every move, responding to his every touch.

'You got me with your oh oh,' Guy's honeyed voice rocked out as Goren kept up the pace. He was quite impressed with the song, At the dramatic finish, Goren dipped Maria right back and she fell onto his couch, laughing as he toppled after her and landed on top over her. As they both stopped laughing, Goren became increasingly aware of the close proximity of their bodies. He could feel every line of her body pressed against his. He eased his weight off her a little, but the scent she was wearing was intoxicating; filling his senses, dragging his head lower.

Maria reached up with a free hand and traced his jaw-line softly with one finger. Goren couldn't take it anymore. He leant down and let his lips caress hers softly; his tongue gently finding entry into her mouth and exploring its sweetness. Maria pulled him closer, enjoying the feeling of this enigmatic man's passion. As he came up for air, Maria lessened her grip on his collar. Goren panicked. He leapt up and helped her to her feet.

'I'm... I'm so sorry,' he said quickly. Maria looked at her feet.

'It's my fault. I'm sorry I came on to you,' she murmured. Goren looked at her, horrified.

'No! I shouldn't have kissed you. It's my fault,' he said, falling silent quickly.  
Maria looked up at him. Goren looked down at her. The gap between them closed fast as they fell back into each other's arms, relishing the sensations they caused in each other. Sweeping her up into his arms, Bobby Goren carried her into his bedroom and shut the door. The last notes of Guy Sebastian's 'Beautiful Life' trilled out of the speakers, leaving the empty living room silent.

Maria lay in bed next to Goren, twirling a curl of chest hair around her index finger as he lay there, propped up against the wall and pillows, her head on his chest. He stroked her hair, images of their night of passion running through his head. He sighed happily, closing his eyes and enjoying the pressure of Maria's head against his body. He really couldn't imagine a time when he had been happier.

Maria began humming under her breath. Goren sat up properly and looked down at her.

'What are you singing?' he asked. Maria smiled at him sleepily.

'It's track two off that album, called Kryptonite,' she mumbled, burrowing her head against him again. Goren cocked his head inquisitively.

'You plan to tell me how it goes?' he asked. Maria rolled over and sighed.

'The words are: From the very second, baby I already knew, I'd end up head over heels in love with you. Turns out, I'm right, yeah,' Maria crooned. Goren nodded.

'I believe you,' he whispered. Maria looked at him.

'You know more about me than you are letting on, don't you?'

'You could say that.'

'Then tell me.'

'You were a virgin before tonight.'

'I don't want to know how you knew that.'

'Really? I would have thought that a person who had so much experience kissing then so little experience in the bedroom that I had to do most of the work would have been dying to know.'

'Oh, shut up,' Maria groaned. Goren chuckled deeply and continued.

'You also own a cat that you left in Australia.'

'Explain.'

'You had black cat fur on your polar fleece jacket yesterday. Eames is allergic to cats, so it's easy to tell that you had a cat in Australia but you didn't bring it with you.'

'Anything else?'

'You were raised as an only child, by your mother.'

'Okay, how did you work that one out?'

'Because,' Goren said, rolling her onto her back and covering her body with his, 'You are just like me. Sharp thinker, gentle, shy yet sophisticated and utterly delectable.'

Maria laughed and held his face in her hands.

'You are a very smart man, Robert Goren,' she said. Goren smiled.

'One would hope so, Maria Eames.'

'Then you should be able to deduce one more thing.'

'What's that?'

'That I'm head over heels in love with you.'

Goren grinned and gently kissed her.

'That I could have told you before you told me your name,' he said. Maria just smiled.


	2. Chapter Two: The Fallout

The Temptation Of Goren: Part Two.

(You know the drill. I don't own anyone but Maria and I ain't making money out of this. Wish I was, though.)

The following day, however, proved difficult for Goren. Rather than his usual neat and precise behaviour, Goren found himself being rather clumsy and leaving things unorganised. He was shocked at himself. Even Eames, the one person who knew him the best, noticed.

'That's the third time in so many hours, Goren. What the hell is going on?' Eames demanded as Goren crashed into the side of his desk. He dropped the folders he was carrying on his desk and groaned.

'I don't know. I'm just not myself today,' he mumbled. Eames screwed her mouth up in disbelief, but said nothing. Knowing her partner would tell her when he was ready was enough.

'Maria didn't come home last night,' she said indifferently, waiting for a response from the flustered detective. Goren, who knew she was baiting him, didn't bat an eyelid.

'Oh no?'

'No, she didn't. She was coming home just as I left for work this morning. Said that she had met someone and things had been a little exciting.'

Goren laughed bitterly to himself. Yeah, things _had_ been exciting. Up to the point when he had realised he was sleeping with a woman half his age. But unfortunately for him, she wouldn't leave his head. It was the reason for his clumsiness that morning; he had been having flash-backs to his night alone with Maria. Goren looked at Eames, who was patiently waiting for a response. He shrugged.

'I'm not sure where she was. We went for Chinese after work, that's all I can tell you,' Goren lied smoothly. Eames nodded, a disbelieving look in her eyes and returned to her computer. Goren sighed. It was true that they had gone to get Chinese, but he really didn't want to tell Eames that he had slept with her niece. As for not knowing where she was, well, he knew _physically_ where she was, but not mentally. Groaning, Bobby realised that he was just lying to himself and to his partner. He looked at Eames who, realising he was watching her, looked up and smiled. Goren admitted to himself that he really couldn't keep the truth from her. He leant across the desk.

'Eames, I lied.'

'I know you did. You're a terrible liar.'

'I am not!'

'You are with me. I know you can't keep anything from me.'

'Damn.'

'You going to tell me what you lied about?'

'I know where Maria was last night.'

'So do I,' Eames said bluntly. Goren cringed.

'She was at my place. She spent the night with me.'

'Did you sleep with her?' Eames said, looking back at her computer screen. Goren swallowed. He _hated_ telling people about his private life.

'If you must know, yes I did,' Goren said quietly, waiting for Eames to explode with rage. Instead, she calmly looked up at him with a disappointed look on her face.

'I'll only say this once, Bobby. You had better treat her right. She's nearly half your age, very impressionable and **definitely** stubborn. If you hurt her, you had better watch your back,' Eames said seriously. Goren looked at her in shock.

'That's it? No "I'm going to flay you within an inch of your life"? My God, you are a real surprise Eames,' he said softly. Eames shrugged.

'But I can't see her again…' Goren began. Unfortunately, Junior Detective Maria Eames had just entered the office.

Goren looked horrified as Maria's face bent into an expression of hurt and shame. With a cry, she ran from the office, attracting the attention of the twenty-odd people who were on the floor. Goren vaulted over his desk and chased after her, calling her name. Losing her in a crowd, Goren leant back against the east wall of 1 Police Plaza and swore softly. Taking out a cigarette from his jacket pocket, Goren's hands trembled as he lit it and took a much-needed drag on the toxins. He looked up at the sky. _Why me?_ He asked the heavens. _Why did I have to fall in love, with Eames' niece, of all people!_

He took another long drag and reviewed the situation. He hadn't meant it to come out that way. He hadn't meant it to come out at all. But what would Eames have said if he'd just come out with _I think your niece is the most wonderful person I have ever met and I want to marry her one day_? Bobby shook his head. No, that wouldn't have gone down well. It didn't even sound right in his head. No matter how much it was the absolute truth.

Goren, finally giving up on Maria returning from the throng of people, headed back to the office, where he found Eames tapping patiently away on her keyboard. He slumped down into his chair, mentally exhausted, rubbing his forehead. Eames smiled tiredly.

'You have really done it this time.'

'I know that. She didn't turn around, or even look back.'

'I told you she was stubborn.'

'I didn't mean it to come out that way.'

'I'm sure you didn't, but Bobby, seriously, did you honestly think about what you said before you said it?'

'No. I didn't think she'd be in today.'

'Maria is up early everyday. Says it's because of her early starts at university. You have got to apologise to her, if you ever want to get her out of your head.'

_How right you are,_ Goren thought.

Maria kept running until she couldn't hear Goren calling her name anymore. Tears burning in her eyes, she veered into a nearby diner, crashing down in a chair and continued to cry. She hadn't meant to fall in love with Goren. Hell, if she had had her way in the first place, she wouldn't have left Australia. But Eames had insisted that she apply for Junior Detective with the NYPD. She said that the major case squad needed new blood. Then she had described her partner and sent a photo. _That_ was the point of no return.

A waitress came over and took Maria's order; a marble mocha with extra chocolate. Maria wiped at her eyes angrily. Bobby had cut quite a dashing figure next to her aunt in the photo; tall in his clean-cut business suit and tie. But it wasn't his clothes or body that had sucked her in. It was his eyes. Those beautiful, intelligent, keenly aware eyes that could spot you lying a mile off. The waitress returned with the coffee and placed in front of the junior detective. Draining half of it in one gulp, Maria thanked and tipped her.

Clutching the cup, Maria reflected on the previous night. She didn't go back to Goren's place with the _intention_ of sleeping with him. That part had sort of just, well, _happened_. She hadn't planned it. THAT was what scared her. Flirting with the hunky detective wasn't a problem. Intelligence is a trait that isolates people, which was why she and Goren had hit it off. They understood each other.

But _sleeping_ with him? Maria banged her head against the porcelain in her hands. It was stupid and irrational. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. She had always promised herself that she would save her virginity for marriage. Now it was too late. She was sure that Goren had absolutely no intentions of marrying her and, from what she had overheard him saying to Eames, it wasn't likely that their relationship was about to last, either.

Glugging down the remnants of her coffee, Maria paid her bill and set off back towards the office, dreading the inevitable. She knew that upon arrival, Bobby would try and explain his actions and make it alright with her. She shook her head. Well, it wasn't going to be alright. He'd taken her virginity and now he was just going to throw her on the rubbish pile. She wouldn't allow that. She couldn't allow that.

She turned the corner on 1 Police Plaza, quickly stifling a cry as she spotted Goren smoking outside the building. Maria dashed back around the corner, before peeping out and watching him finish the cigarette. He was looking up at the sky, an exasperated expression on his face. Maria felt annoyed. _Why should he look tired while I'm going through agony?_ she thought to herself, but said nothing. Goren squashed out the butt under his shoe and walked back into the building. Following him carefully, Maria stood where the senior detective had. She looked down at the sad, stump of a butt and felt the tears welling up again. She wasn't mad at him, she couldn't be. She loved him with every bit of her heart, however much she had it hidden away. What she was angry about was the fact that she had fallen so heavily in love with him that when he hurt her, she had fallen apart.

Maria looked up at the skyscraper.

_No shifty detective is going to stop me doing my job_, she thought, entering the building and striding confidently across the lobby and into the lift. Upon arrival on the seventh floor, Maria crossed the floor to her desk in the corner near the blind-covered window. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Goren leap up and follow her to her station. Seating herself, Maria flicked her monitor on and began reading her e-mails from home. Bobby arrived at her desk, shifting his weight from one foot to the other nervously. Maria noted his twitching fingers and decided that although she really didn't want to talk to him, she would hear what he had to say.

'Hey,' he said informally, trying to catch her attention. Maria looked up without a smile. _Shit_, Bobby thought, but continued.

'I just wanted to, um, apologise for what I said earlier. I didn't mean for it to come out that way.'

Maria leant back in her chair, picking up a biro and tapping it against her left index fingernail. Goren noticed how much she looked like a cobra ready to strike. Realising he was in the lion's den now, Bobby picked his words carefully.

'I, um, really enjoyed having you over last night,' he said with enthusiasm. Maria tapped the pen faster. _Bad move,_ Bobby thought desperately. He wished he could just tell her the truth, but it was obvious that she didn't want excuses for his actions. He wasn't even sure that she still had feelings for him. He backed off a bit. Maria sat up and put the pen down.

'Bobby, I accept your apology, but I will not forgive you for using me like that,' Maria said in a low voice. Bobby noticed how alike Maria and Eames were; they both had a dangerous, low tone that could make even the biggest man crumble. Like he was right now.

'How you used me, _slept_ with me when you didn't love me. How could you do that, Bobby?' she continued, staring him in the eye. Goren swallowed. _But I do love you!_ his mind shouted at her, _can't you see that?_

'I, um, I'm, er, I'm really sorry,' Bobby stuttered out, barely keeping it together. He turned and left the office, Maria and Alex's eyes following him. Goren stumbled blindly into the bathroom, where he slammed his fist repeatedly against the wall until the tears came. The hulking detective slid down against the wall, allowing the tears to rolls down his cheeks for all the desperation, unrequited love and shame he was feeling. For the first time ever, Bobby Goren felt truly alone.


	3. Chapter Three: When You Say You Love Me

The Temptation Of Goren: Part Three.

(You know the drill. I don't own anyone but Maria and I ain't making money out of this. Wish I was, though.)

Composing himself took Goren half an hour. By that time, he'd stopped crying and straightened his suit. Marching stiffly out of the bathroom, he returned to his desk to find a worried-looking Deakins with Eames.

'Goren, a word if you will in my office,' the captain muttered gruffly. Goren shot a look at Eames, who just looked at him blankly. Following his advisor's outstretched arm, Goren wandered into his office, praying to every god he knew that this wasn't what he thought it would be.

Deakins closed the door quietly and sat down at his desk, studying his prized detective curiously. Goren couldn't hold the eye contact.

'Sit down, detective,' Deakins said firmly. Goren felt like he was back in school and had been called to the headmaster's office to be caned. He sat without a word; twitching his fingers nervously. Deakins sat back.

'Would you like to tell me just what the hell is going on?' the captain said simply. Bobby twitched nervously. Deakins waited for an answer, before continuing in the silence.

'Eames told me about your run-in with Maria today, Goren. I have to say I'm surprised at you. I wouldn't have thought you could have been this unprofessional about it. _Then_, I come out onto the floor to find Eames on her own; up to her ears in data for the case _you both_ should be working on, as well as my new junior detective in tears over what happened. Now I want an answer, Goren!' Deakins shouted. Goren jumped at the mention of Maria crying.

'Sir, I'm sorry for my misdemeanour, it won't happen again,' Bobby mumbled.

'You're damn right it won't, Goren!' he replied loudly. Bobby swallowed and looked at Deakins, a sad look on his face. Deakins sighed.

'Bobby, I've known you for years now. If it was someone else, I would have strung them up by their hair. But you…' Deakins trailed off. Goren understood. The captain massaged his forehead.

'You may go, Goren,' he muttered. The senior detective got up and walked to the door. As he turned the knob, Deakins looked up at him.

'Goren,' he started. Bobby turned around.

'Yeah?'

'Just… play nice.'

As Goren made his way back to his desk, Eames tossed a folder across to him.

'Heads up. We gotta case to deal with,' she said firmly. Goren looked at her, bewildered.

'You're being snippy,' he pondered aloud. Eames looked at him, shocked at his accusation.

'I am not!'

'You are. You were. I swear!'

Eames frowned at him.

'I was not. I'm just going to put up with you mooning over my niece.'

'Yeah, about that…' Goren began, sneaking a look over his shoulder at Maria's desk. The young detective was tapping away at her keyboard, utterly engrossed in the document she was typing. Bobby Goren sighed and returned his gaze to her aunt. Eames looked thoroughly unamused.

'We're over-due at Times Square. Some jumped-up teen druggie over-dosed and the reports show that it probably wasn't intentional,' Eames filled him in, grabbing her coat. Goren looked at Maria again, who was chattering on her mobile and reaching for her 'Wild Ridge' hikers bag.

'What about Maria?' he asked, following Eames' brisk pace to the elevator. Eames punched the button.

'Maria has her own cases. She works alone.'

The lift doors slid open and the pair got in. _Pity_, Goren thought, as the doors slid shut.

'Not a problem, I'll be there in ten,' Maria replied to the beat officer down her phone.

'We hate to bother you, Detective, but since Senior Detectives Goren and Eames haven't arrived yet…'

'No, it's perfectly understandable,' Maria said, racing down the seven flights of stairs and jumping into the beaten-up Holden Acclaim that Eames had bought for her to drive. She started the engine and revved it into first.

'You really can't trust Goren to be on time. Or trust him at all in my opinion,' she said sharply, pulling out of the car park. She noted that Eames' SUV wasn't parked in the lot, but this meant little to her.

'Thank you, Detective. We'll see you soon.'

'You said Times Square, didn't you?'

'That's correct.'

Goren nearly jumped clean out of his skin when Eames' niece arrived on the scene. It was a shock to Maria as well.

'What are you doing here?' they asked in unison. Goren swallowed, running a hand through his hair swiftly.

'This is my case,' he said, looking down at Maria as she paced over to her aunt.

'Why are you here?'

Maria looked up at Goren.

'I'm here because the beat officer called me when you and Eamesy didn't show up after half an hour,' she replied coldly, watching intently as Bobby winced at the icy remark. She looked at Alex.

'So what've we got?' she asked smoothly. Bobby gaped. That was _his_ line!

'Teenage girl, drug overdose, age seventeen, no I.D,' Eames rattled off, checking her own notes. Bobby, feeling rejected, edged nearer to the women, who were consulting the paperwork. Then Maria did the unthinkable. Reaching into her pocket, she tugged out a pair of plastic gloves and examined the body.

'The victim appears to not have been a habitual user,' she said to Eames. Eames looked up.

'How can you tell?'

Maria indicated to the back of the dead girl's right ear.

'Habitual users eventually build a tolerance to the amount they're using, which is why they frequently increase their dosage. From the colour of this patch of skin, which is highly sensitive, the girl would have lost circulation in her proprio-receptors. That, in most cases, _never_ happens to a user,' Maria concluded, eyeing up Bobby, who was nodding in fascination.

'That's right,' he murmured, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. Eames grinned at her partner and helped her niece to her feet.

'Told you she was a whiz-kid,' Eames muttered under her breath to Goren, looking at him intently. Goren missed this and sighed as Maria walked around to the other side of the corpse.

'How long has she been dead?' Maria asked the beat officer, who had been standing nearby. He shrugged, shaking his head.

'Dunno. Three, maybe four hours,' he hazarded a guess. Maria nodded reassuringly, shifting the hair away from the girl's neck.

'Think I might just have found the answer to your riddle, Eamesy,' she said loudly. Bobby jumped over the body and landed next to Maria. Crouching down, he observed a small tattoo of a penguin next to two puncture wounds. She looked up at the senior detective.

'Do you know what that is, Robert?' she asked snippily. Goren cleared his throat, images racing through his mind, her scent reviving his memories of her in his bed…

'Yeah, drug trade ring, Gotham,' he replied. Maria tilted her head slightly and nodded, a smile playing on the edge over her lips.

'That's right,' she said quietly.

'The Gotham Trade Ring initiates members by tattooing a penguin on their necks. These two punctures are probably from the injections delivered straight after they had finished,' Maria said, taking swabs of the area and pocketing them. Bobby swallowed, experiencing the same feeling he had when he had fallen on top of her on his couch the previous night. He fought the urge to reach out and wind his fingers back through her hair, to feel her soft skin, to taste her lips…

'ROBERT!' Maria shouted, knocking him backwards off his feet. He landed with a soft thud, returning quickly to the present. The buildings slid back into focus and he got up, with a bit of help from Alex. Maria straightened up.

'I'll take these back to the lab and run the tests myself,' she said, looking sadly at Bobby before turning on her heel and walking back to the Holden. Alex watched her leave, then turned and slapped her partner. Hard.

'Yowch!' Goren yelled, rubbing the place on his arm where Alex had hit him. She frowned at him.

'You really don't get it, do you?' she shouted at him. Goren looked stunned. Alex _never_ shouted at him like this.

'I don't get what?' he asked stupidly. Eames groaned.

'She's CRAZY about you! You can look in her eyes and _see_ how much she wants to be with you! Bobby, you can't just leave her!' Eames continued, pacing up and down the curb. Goren struggled to find the words.

'I thought you weren't mad at me?' he ventured. Eames spun around.

'I'm not mad at you, Goren, I'm furious! First of all, you slept with _my_ niece! MY niece! Your partner's niece! Do you get that? At first, I was totally mortified. But then I thought to myself "Goren has finally found someone who shares his isolation and intelligence, who really cares about him, who _truly_ loves him! Maybe she can teach him how to love in return"! Then, you come to my desk, _lie_ to me and then tell me that you can't see her anymore while she's standing there! Do you have _any_ comprehension of what that _does _to a woman, Bobby? To be so in love with a man and then have him ripped away, because he was so dammed loyal to his job?' Eames sobbed, pummelling his front.

Bobby swallowed. He now knew that it wasn't his actions towards Maria that were solely being addressed. Eames was likening it to losing her husband. Goren looked down at his partner, who flashed him a wild-eyed look. He caught her hands.

'Eames, you are the one person I trust more than anything,' he said softly.

'Which is why I have to be honest with you. I was wrong to think that I could get over Maria. She's a part of me now. I love her with all my heart and I never want to let her go,' he said in a broken voice, face ashen. Eames hiccoughed and wiped her eyes. Bobby went on.

'I thought her age would be a problem, but as it turns out the only person who had the problem was me. I love her, Alex. I want to marry her one day,' he said simply, holding back the tears as he watched the obvious pain glide across his partner's face. Her face cleared and she smiled.

'You're telling the wrong woman, Bobby,' she said.

'Go tell Maria that.'

Bobby grinned wildly, a new hope swelling inside him. He hailed a taxi and set off for the labs. Settling in the back of the cab, Bobby's hyper-driven mind sped over the conversation with Eames. _If I can remember exactly what I said, maybe Maria will forgive for the abysmal way I acted,_ Bobby thought. A lump in his right pocket caught his attention. Curious, he reached into his pocket and withdrew the offending item. When he saw it, Bobby felt a tear of happiness roll over his cheek. It was the CD Maria had left at his apartment. Recalling the words she had hummed to him in bed, Bobby Goren sung softly; _From the very second, baby I already knew, I'd end up head over heels in love with you…_

Eames rubbed her shoulders, the icy wind chilling her. Looking down at the dead girl beside her, she was glad that her niece was _finally_ going to be happy. As was her long-suffering partner. This required a celebratory drink. Alex Eames grinned at the thought of her partner racing across town to be with the woman he loved. It was so obvious that he loved her.

'An Academy-worthy performance, even if I do say so myself,' Eames chuckled to the corpse. She packed up her files and allowed the ambulance to take the victim away. Jumping back in the SUV, Eames felt satisfied that she had _definitely_ done a good job.


	4. Chapter Four: Crossed Wires

The Temptation of Goren: Part Four.

(If you haven't read the previous disclaimers, go and do so. They're all the same.)

Maria pushed an errant copper curl from her eyes and re-adjusted the pair of plastic safety goggles that sat on her nose. She picked up the Petrie dish that held the swab she had taken from the crime scene and added the identification solution from the pipette. But her mind wasn't concentrating on the reacting substances in front of her.

_Damn it_, she thought, almost dropping the dish on the cold, steel bench in the lab. Her mind was filled with the images of her night with Goren; his hungry kiss stealing her breath away, his eyes longing for her to understand. Which she did. Maria understood Bobby so well. Setting the substance down, Maria sat in a chair off to the side and sighed. Probably not as well as her aunt did, but she could tell by his actions, his conversation, even, Maria shivered, the way he had made love to her. It was impossible.

'Detective, we've finished here,' the lab assistant called to her. Maria nodded and stood up, making her way towards the Petrie dish. Picking it up, she continued going over her thoughts. It was his smell; she deduced, that was what had set her off this morning. That soft, clean, freshly-laundered scent he carried with him. The warm smell of vanilla. Maria thought back to her teenage years when she had been madly in love with Guy Sebastian, the Australian singer who had won _Australian Idol_. When she had met him for the first time, he had hugged her and the one thing that she had always remembered was the smell of warm vanilla he had about him. Ever since then, Maria found that the smell of vanilla had enticed her heart into situations that she would _never_ had put herself into. Like this one.

Maria looked down into the dish. She gasped and grabbed her diary. Scribbling down some figures, she ripped off her lab coat and grabbed her normal navy polar fleece one and her car keys. She flew down the stairs, leaving the confused lab assistant in her wake. Jumping into her Holden, Maria fired the ignition and the engine roared to life, as if it hearkened to her haste. She sped out of the car park, flicking her cell open and punching in her aunt's number. It rang several times before she picked up.

'Eames here.'

'Eamesy! Boy, am I glad you picked up!'

'Who is this?'

'It's Maria, aunty. I need to speak to Bobby.'

'He just jumped in a cab to come and find you!'

Maria screeched to a halt at the traffic lights, gripping her phone tightly. The colour drained out of her face.

'Oh my god,' she whispered.

'Maria, what's wrong?'

'Aunty, you need to find Goren. Get him back to the station. If you don't hear from me in three hours, contact my lab attendants at the Manhattan Research Institute. That girl who was murdered wasn't there by accident.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean it's a trap. For me. If Bobby is caught with me, he'll be in serious danger,' Maria said grimly, putting her foot down hard on the accelerator as the lights turned green. She hooned across the intersection, a stern look fixed upon her young face.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Bobby was still in an excellent mood when he arrived at the laboratory in Manhattan. He cheerfully paid the driver and dashed inside the sterile-white building. He stopped for directions to the research labs and headed up the stairs. Throwing open the doors in a gesture of chivalry, Goren was heartily disappointed to find that the room was void of junior detectives that resembled Maria. In fact, the room was completely devoid of human life.

'Hello?' Bobby called into the silence, hoping that Maria was simply nearby and out of sight. However, only a slightly-frazzled lab attendant arrived on the scene. Goren hailed the young woman down and addressed her with haste.

'Please, could you tell me if Junior Detective Maria Eames has been here?' he asked quickly. The attendant pushed her glasses further up her nose and peered at him.

'Who, Maria? Yeah, she was here about half an hour ago. Said she needed to run a few chemical tests on a swab from a crime scene she investigated. Well, you know me, I'm not one to argue with a cop, so I said sure, I'll give you a hand,' the lab attendant replied in a nasal voice.

'Then what?' Goren asked eagerly. The attendant shrugged, adjusting her glasses.

'Dunno, really. She'd popped the swab in a culture dish and we were waiting for the results of the reaction to determine the substance on the swab. I called her over when it was ready. After that, she got really excited, scribbled something in her diary and took off outta here like the devil was after her or something,' the woman answered. Goren swallowed. Whatever Maria had found couldn't have been good.

'Did she say anything else before she left?' Bobby asked as he headed for the door. The attendant, jogging to keep up, shook her head.

'Naw, but she did seem preoccupied, which is strange for her,' she mused, causing Bobby to stop in his tracks. He whirled to face the woman.

'Why is that?' he asked her sharply. The attendant looked as if she thought Bobby was going to eat her.

'Nothing, Detective. I simply meant that Maria usually pays a lot more scrutiny to her research. Today it seemed like something else was on her mind,' the woman replied shakily.

'It was as if she was in love or something. Not that _that_ would ever happen to Maria. She's far too smart to fall in love,' the attendant pondered. Goren licked his lips and thanked the attendant for her time. Dashing back downstairs, he hailed another cab. Pulling out his cell, he called the only person he knew would listen; Eames.

'Eames here.'

'Eames, it's Goren.'

'Thank God! Where are you?'

'I just left the labs. Maria isn't there.'

'I know.'

'How?'

'She called me about half an hour ago. Goren, you have _got _to get back to the station. Deakins is mobilising a task force.'

'What's up? It'd have to be pretty major for Deakins to get involved personally.'

' I can't tell you over the phone, Goren, but what I can tell you is this. If I don't hear from Maria in another two and a half hours, there's something bigger going down than you and her.'

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Eames hung up on her partner and lost herself in her thoughts. _Sure, I had feelings for Bobby, but hey, it was just a crush_, she thought to herself. _Besides_, she reasoned with herself, _it wasn't as if I ever really understood him. Much like I never understood Maria. No-one ever did._

Deakins hailed her down as she crossed the floor to the task force that had assembled outside his office. He placed nervously before coming to a halt and placing his hands together. He addressed the forum in a serious tone.

'Alright, here's the deal; Junior Detective Eames has a lead to the major drug syndicate in the upper NY area. She has gone ahead to check out her own suspicions, but I want everyone here to be on alert until we hear from her again. If she requests back-up, we need to be there five minutes ago. Eames!' Deakins addressed the senior detective. Alex jerked her head up.

'Yes?'

'When did you last hear from Maria?'

Alex checked her watch.

'About an hour and a half ago.'

Deakins nodded grimly and returned to the gathering.

'Once Detective Goren arrives, we can begin scouting the upper NY area, starting in the areas of recent drug busts,' Deakins continued, as Bobby Goren skidded in, out of breath. He grinned lamely.

'Almost late,' he wheezed, making his way over to Alex. As Deakins continued, Bobby crossed his arms and leant back against the desk.

'What'd I miss?' he asked Alex quietly. Alex swallowed, wondering if telling Bobby that he was in danger was the best idea. However, telling him that his girlfriend was missing wasn't a cheery option, either.

'Maria called me, as you know, but she told me that she had been set up. She's gone to the upper NY area to bust the Gotham syndicate. Alone.' Alex murmured, keeping a sharp eye on her partner. Goren's eyes bulged. His body shuddered.

'Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't _you_ tell me?'

'She asked me not to. She said that you were in serious danger if you went after her. Deakins has arranged to keep you here until Maria is found,' Alex replied quietly. Bobby snapped upright.

'No-one is going to tell me to wait here while Maria is out there and in serious danger!' Goren shouted, which caused the gathered police officers to become silent. Deakins looked up.

'I'm afraid I have to, Goren,' he said sadly.

'Maria specifically warned Eames that you were in danger if you went after her. I'm taking you off this case...'

'NO!' Bobby shouted. He tore from the room, uninhibited by the massing of officers. Deakins stared at Eames.

'Go after him! Stop him!' he shouted. Eames grabbed her jacket and sped after her partner. Deep inside, however, she knew it was useless to stop him. Bobby had a one-track mind.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Maria pulled into the street, turning off the engine and letting the car roll in. She got out of the car and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her diary. She walked around to the front of the building that she had pulled up beside. Reading the piece of paper, Maria chuckled.

'Talk about international,' she muttered, stuffing the paper into the pocket of her jeans. Pulling out her gun, she inched along the perimeter of the building and slipped in the front door. The door clicked shut behind her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Bobby opened the laptop and logged into the international police database as the cab headed uptown. Running a search for Maria's name, Bobby waited impatiently as the search turned up the cases she had worked on as Junior Detective in Sydney Major Case Squadron. He thought back over the morning at the crime scene; Maria had known a fair bit about the Gotham ring, especially for someone who had only been in the country for a week or so. Bobby swallowed. He had a feeling that Maria had known more about the syndicate than she had let on.

The computer beeped as it turned up the results Goren had been looking for. He peered at the screen and reviewed it's results;

**NAME: Eames, Maria Lillian**

**AGE: 22**

**RANK: Junior Detective**

**LAST MAJOR CASE: Drug trade ring, Birds of Prey. Based in Brisbane, contacts in Sydney, Melbourne and New York. Case resulted in three major arrests for drug trafficking and three accomplices. Drug ring specialised in hybrid drug serums, often resulting in death for new users. Syndicate used popular Indian Takeaways under business name TREATS FROM THE EAST as bases. Also known as the Gotham Trade Ring.**

Bobby gasped. New York. Hybrid drugs. Maria must have discovered that the girl in Times Square had over-dosed on a hybrid drug that was synonymous with the syndicate that she had put away.

Goren tapped the driver on the shoulder. The Pakistan cabbie turned his head slightly so he could keep his eyes on the road while paying attention.

'Hey, do you know an Indian Takeaway by the name "Treats From The East"?' Goren asked. The driver nodded.

'Yessir, not three miles from here. We can make it there in around ten minutes.'

'Step on it,' Goren commanded. He sat back as the driver gunned the engine and roared across town. It was imperative that he find Maria. Because right now, she was in more danger than he was. He dialled Eames' cell.

'Eames here.'

'It's Goren, Eames. I know where Maria is and I'm going after her.'


	5. Chapter Five: Deadlines and Flatlines

The Temptation of Goren: Part Five.

(If you haven't read the previous disclaimers, go and do so. They're all the same.)

Bobby pulled up outside the _Treats From The East_ Indian takeaway and paid the cabbie. It was an unobtrusive building, decorated in fabulous red and gold ornaments. He scouted the edge of the building and located Maria's Holden. Bobby peered in the window and mentally searched the car. He quickly concluded that she had her gun with her, which meant that she was probably going to make an arrest. She also had her cell with her, which meant that she intended to call for back-up.

Goren made his way around to the front of the building and stared up at it. _If anything has happened to her, I'll kill the person responsible,_ he thought angrily to himself. Bobby Goren opened the door of the restaurant and closed the door with a smart click. The restaurant was a hive of activity, even at 3pm in the afternoon. Waiters bustled around, carrying trays laden with curries and various dishes. Goren's analytic mind assessed the room. From what he had seen, Maria _had_ to have entered restaurant from the front door. If she had gone in through the back, her car would've been parked closer to the rear of the building.

He saw that the only exit from the floor (beside the lavatories) were the stainless steel, double-doors to the kitchen. Goren made his way smoothly through the crowded room; quite an achievement for someone of his height and stature. He slipped, unnoticed by most, into the kitchens.

Met with even more panic and movement than in the actual restaurant, Goren quickly scanned the noisy room. A rickety, metal staircase ran up the wall to his right and stopped abruptly at the roof. Convinced that the staircase was _not_ there for decoration, Goren scammed a kitchen coat from a nearby hook and crept up the stairs, his dark hair in stark contrast to the white around him.

Goren tapped the roof gingerly. A panel, concealed due to a snug fit and paint job, shifted gently against his touch. A smirk on his face, Goren lifted the panel up and slipped it to one side. He crawled, with some difficulty, up into the small space above him. After huffing and puffing his way up, Goren sat up and looked around him. He was at the end of a corridor and at the other end there was a wooden door with a frosted glass panel set into it. Clambering to his feet, Bobby made his way stealthily down the dark corridor to the door.

Sliding against the wall, Bobby Goren took out his gun and peered through the frosted glass. He couldn't see much, but he heard muffled voices. He pressed his ear up against the door, desperate to hear, his heart pounding in his ears.

'_You won't get away with this! The NYPD won't be far behind me!'_

'_You honestly expect me to believe that? We both know that you work alone and that you always have done!'_

'_I put you away last time, I can do it again.'_

'_I don't think so, not in your position.'_

'_You're wrong. You won't be able to kill me.'_

'_It isn't my intention to do so. You are a valuable asset at the moment and I intend for you to be quite useful.'_

'_How so?'_

'_You are a major asset to the NYPD. That foolish captain of yours will do anything to ensure your safety. I will hold you hostage until I am granted diplomatic immunity for all my trading; then, ONLY then, will I shoot you.'_

'_Eames and Goren will come after me! You know that!'_

'Goren? Eames? Ah yes, the senior detectives. I'm sorry Maria, but unless they know our link, they won't have the faintest idea where you are.'

Goren felt a surge of hot anger and kicked the door open with a bang. Weapon ahead, he quickly took in his surroundings. An Indian man stood with a gun at Maria's head, her own gun three feet away from her hand. Her cell sat on a nearby desk and she was kneeling on the floor.

'FREEZE!' Goren roared and flicked the safety catch off. The Indian man looked mildly surprised, before a smile spread across his face. Goren felt something hard smash into the back of his head. He fell face-first to the floor, unconscious.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Goren awoke in the storeroom with a massive headache. He was lying on his back, his hands neatly folded on his chest with his jacket tucked under his head. He sat up slowly, wincing slightly and looked around. Maria sat glumly across from him, folding paper planes from the napkins that were piled beside her and tossing them at him.

'Where are we?' Bobby asked groggily. Maria shrugged.

'Somewhere inside the restaurant. After they knocked you out, they blindfolded me and took us back down the staircase. After that, I'm not sure. But judging by the contents of this room, we're still in the restaurant,' Maria said stiffly. Goren looked around and had to agree. The room contained many of the condiments used in the restaurant.

Maria looked grumpily at Goren.

'So why are you here, anyway? I told Eamesy to make sure you stayed at the station. I said that you would be in danger. Was I wrong? No,' Maria said angrily. Goren swallowed guiltily.

'I thought... well, I... I thought that maybe I... I could back up,' he stammered. Maria snorted.

'Don't insult my intelligence, Goren. I know why you are here. You thought I couldn't handle it because I'm _only_ twenty-two and you had to rush in and act the hero, didn't you?' she spat. Bobby felt like crying. She was right, of course. It was amazing how someone he loved so much could hurt him so bad.

'Maybe... maybe I did,' he stuttered on.

'But maybe I did it because of you. Not because you are _only_ twenty-two. The only person who ever had a problem with that was me. I went to the labs to tell you that, but you had already left. I called Eames and she told me to get back to the station. She told me what you said on the phone and I bolted. I ran a search on the database for you last case and joined the dots,' Bobby confessed. Maria chuckled half-heartedly.

'Ever the detective, Goren,' she sighed. Bobby dropped his head.

'I went to the labs to find you to tell you that you were wrong. I do love you. I love you in a way that I have never felt before. I love you in a way that makes me want to be with you forever. Maria, I love you enough to ask you be my wife,' Bobby said softly. Maria's face clouded over angrily.

'Don't lie to me Goren,' she said dangerously. Bobby shook his head.

'I'm not lying to you, Maria. I've never met anyone like you. You're the only one who knows what it's like to be so intelligent that the people closest to you don't understand you. You know that pain. You opened up to me because of it. You knew it before we met. You know because...'-Bobby choked on his words-'because you love me, too.'

Bobby studied Maria's face carefully. The thunderstorm look on her face broke into an expression of pain. Tears spilled out of her eyes. Bobby couldn't bear to see his beautiful Maria cry. He crawled over to her and wrapped his bear-like arms around her and cradled her close.

'Oh Bobby,' she sobbed into his arms. Bobby stroked her hair gently.

'Shhh, it's alright,' he reassured her. Maria looked up at him, her face red and blotchy.

'We can't get out of here,' she whispered. Bobby kissed her forehead.

'We can and we will. If he's taken my cell, as soon as he reaches one hundred feet away, it will send an automatic GPS message to Eames' phone. She can track us from there,' he replied. Maria looked impressed.

'Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Of course, I wouldn't expect anything else from you,' Maria grinned. Goren smiled, happy that once again, the woman who he loved the most (with, he thought, maybe _one_ exception) was now officially in love with him. He brushed her copper curls out of her face and kissed her softly on the mouth. Maria wound her arms around his neck and returned the kiss. Reaching for his jacket, Bobby spread it on the ground so that as he lay Maria on the floor she wouldn't feel the cold. As their legs intertwined and his kiss moved down Maria's neck, Goren thought foggily about Eames and wondered when she'd get there. In a half-hearted prayer, he hoped she didn't show up for the next half hour.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Eames screeched to a halt outside the Indian restaurant with the rest of the squad, clad in a bullet-proof vest. Taking her gun from it's holster, Alex stepped out of her SUV and quick-stepped to the front of the takeaway. Noticing that Maria's car was there, Alex checked the GPS in Goren's cell. Same place. The squad moved in on the restaurant.

The doors burst open and terrified customers ducked under the table as officers ran in, guns raised and worked their way into the kitchen. Within five minutes, they located the trapdoor and the hidden corridor. Eames looked around. Still no sign of Goren or Maria.

She pulled the officer in charge to one side.

'Our primary objective is to find Detectives Goren and Eames,' she explained in a hushed voice.

'Take anyone who appears to be involved with drugs into custody, but make sure your people know what we're looking for.'

The officer nodded and sent the word around. Suddenly, from the back of the kitchen, someone fired a gun at the officers. A shooting frenzy ensued, causing Alex to duck quickly behind a bench as a tall Indian fired at her head. The bullet glanced off a door behind her, ripped out one of the hinges and causing it fall sideways. Alex spun around. The door opened onto a storeroom and peering blearily back at her was her partner, Robert Goren.

'BOBBY! GET OUT OF THERE!' Alex shouted as she fired back at the Indian. Goren got to his feet, grabbed his jacket and lumbered out of the storeroom. A few seconds later, Maria tore out of the room and ducked down with Goren and Eames.

'Nice of you to join us!' Maria yelled over the gunfire. Eames grasped Maria's shoulder.

'You and Bobby need to get out of here now!' Eames cried. Maria nodded and looked at Bobby, who appeared totally confused. The gunfire suddenly died.

'Quick! Go now!' Eames hissed. Goren grabbed Maria's arm and hauled her to her feet. The pair looked across the room. The drug cartel were scattered across the room, many draped over the food preparation benches, blood oozing onto the cold steel. Goren swallowed.

'We need to get out of here,' he whispered, but Maria's eyes were fixed. Fixed on the one bit of movement in the room. One of the cartel struggled up off the bench he was lying on. Goren grabbed Maria's arm. The man lifted his gun.

'No!' Goren shouted.

He pulled the trigger. The sound exploded around the room. Silence reigned once more. The cartel member slumped forward onto the bench, dropping his gun which landed on the floor with clatter. His eyes flickered and closed. Eames looked down beside her.

'Oh my god,' she whispered. Her hand flew to her mouth. She choked silently.

'Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.'

Eames punched in a number on her cell.

'Deakins here.'

'Captain, call the ambos. We... we have a casualty,' Eames stuttered. The phone went dead for a moment.

'Who is it?' Deakins asked flatly.

'It's... it's Maria sir,' Eames said, looking at Bobby kneeling over Maria's lifeless body.

'She's been shot.'

**A/N: Okay readers! Should Maria live, marry Bobby and live happily ever after? Or does she die from the bullet, leaving Bobby in a pit of despair and maybe take his own life? You have the power to decide, so R&R!**


	6. Chapter Six: When There's Nothing Else

The Temptation Of Goren: Part Six

Before I continue, I'd like to thank a few people. These people took the time out to review TTOG (which is a labour of love, I assure you!). I would like to thank: blucougar57 – She's not quite dead yet!

KellseyKisaragi – Okay! Okay! –appears nervous-

TriStateCopFan – Bobby in pain. Sure, go ahead and laugh! Lol! You are brilliant and thanks for your reviews.

Lallyb- Okay! Have it your way! Not that I'm complaining...

SmileyBlueEyes – GO SUPERCOP! Lol!

Aiden Burn – Sure, she's a Mary-Sue. But she's me and I'm sleeping with Bobby! Hurrah!

And finally...

Squeak. My best friend from High School. May happy chances bring us back together next year at university. Thank you.

xxx

(See earlier disclaimers. I got a mixed reaction when I asked whether Maria should live or die. Well, I came to a decision. Happy reading, loyal followers!)

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Bobby knelt beside Maria, wounded badly from the gunshot. His eyes were watching her, his ears receiving her moans of agony, but his brain wasn't responding to the signals that told him that she didn't have much time if the ambulance didn't arrive soon.

'Maria? Maria, can you hear me?' he breathed softly. Maria's eyes flickered open; her normally bright blue eyes dulled a slate grey from the pain.

'Bobby,' she croaked, reaching for his hand. Bobby took her hand and held it close.

'It's going to be alright, Maria. The medics are on their way,' Bobby said, reassuring himself more than her. Maria forced a smile.

'If I die Bobby…' she began, then started coughing, hacking, as blood spattered out onto her shirt. Bobby felt the tears rise out of anger.

'You aren't going to die, do you hear me? I won't let you die!' Bobby whispered angrily, brushing two renegade tears from his cheek. Maria smiled weakly.

'Bobby, you have to listen. If I die before the medics get here, I want you to promise me that you'll look after my aunt. She cares about you and she'll always treat you with respect,' Maria gasped. Bobby squeezed her hand.

'I promise, Maria. But you have to promise me something.'

'What's that?'

'That when you get better, you'll marry me,' Bobby said seriously. Maria sighed and touched his face with her free hand. Eames, who had been watching and listening, felt two hot tears run down her face. _They love each other so much_, Eames thought as she desperately clung to her cell.

'I promise, Bobby Goren,' Maria whispered. She lay back and sighed, closing her eyes on the battle ground. Bobby fought the tears as they came; raining down his hot cheeks where she had kissed him only an hour before.

'Please, Maria,' he choked,

'Please don't leave me behind.'

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Bobby didn't notice the medics arrive. Didn't notice when Eames put her arm around his shoulders and told him it was time to go. Didn't notice that he had stood up and walked out of the kitchen. He did notice, however, Maria's pale cheeks being covered by a blue blanket to keep her warm.

'Her favourite colour,' Goren whispered. Eames looked up at her partner.

'What was that?' she asked. Goren shrugged.

'Maria's favourite colour. Blue,' he replied distractedly, looking on as the medics lifted Maria up onto the stretcher and loaded her into the back of the ambulance. It roared off, sirens squealing. Bobby looked down at Eames, who was peering at him in a concerned way. Bobby choked back his pain and wiped his face.

'Come on, we've got some explaining to do down at the precinct,' he murmured, heading out to Eames' SUV. Eames nodded and watched her partner lumber out as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Worried about Goren, but unsure of how he would react if she asked him about it, Eames kept her mouth shut and jumped in the car, started the engine and began the silent drive back to Police Plaza.

Upon arrival, Bobby jumped out of the car and began hailing down a cab. Alex grabbed him by the arm.

'_What_ do you think you are doing?' she hissed as a cab pulled up. Bobby looked down at her blankly, as if Alex had asked him a ridiculous question.

'Maria is in hospital, Eames. _Your niece_ is in hospital. Dying. She was shot because she didn't want them to hurt me. She's dying because of me and if I'm not there if she... if she...' Bobby trailed off, turning away as he angrily brushed his cheek. Alex moved close to him and wrapped an arm around his waist.

'Bobby, I promised to take care of her. Three days after she arrives in the country and I couldn't prevent her from being shot. How do you think I'm feeling?' Alex whispered to her partner. Bobby looked down and saw the obvious pain in Alex's eyes. Understanding her point, Bobby waved the cab away. As he watched it drive off, Bobby turned to Alex.

'So what _do_ we do about this?' he asked her desperately. Alex swallowed the lump in her throat.

'We'll be professional. We'll go back to the office, report to Deakins, then file the appropriate paperwork. Then after work, you'll pack your briefcase with the same neatness you always do. Then I'll drive us both to the hospital and we'll _both_ check in on Maria,' Alex replied flatly. Bobby forced the anger that was rising in the pit of his stomach. _She's your partner, for God's sakes!_ he shouted at himself. _She's right. She's Maria's aunt, whatever pain you are feeling, she's feeling it too. You know she's right and whatever you do now will NOT help Maria. It's too late._

Bobby gave Eames a half-grin.

'O.. okay then,' he stuttered. Alex shot him a questioning look, but Bobby didn't feel like answering it. He felt dead inside. The wind around him seemed to blow right through his solid frame as he followed Alex back in HQ. When they arrived, Deakins was still on the floor, pacing worriedly. He jerked his head up as Alex and Bobby approached, opening his mouth to speak. Alex made slitting movements to her throat and shook her head furiously as Deakins watched Bobby head over to his desk and sit down, rubbing his forehead in the same way he always did when he was thinking. Deakins pulled Alex aside.

'How's he coping?' he whispered, watching Bobby pull out some forms and begin to fill them in. Alex bowed her head.

'Not well. It was difficult stopping him climbing in the back of the ambulance and going straight to the hospital. Then when we got here, he tried to hail a cab to go after Maria. I managed to persuade him that there was nothing he could do, but he's hit rock-bottom. I could see it in his eyes,' she replied, shooting a side-long glance at her partner. Deakins followed her gaze. Bobby was furiously sharpening his pencil. It broke three times and on the fourth, Goren slammed it down on the desk and buried his face in his large hands. The captain faced Alex.

'You need to send him home, Eames. Make him stay there. Pick him up after work and take him to see Junior Detective Eames, but no more. When Goren's like this, he can't be reasoned with,' Deakins instructed Eames. She nodded, unbuckling her bullet-proof vest and hanging it up.

'What if he won't listen to me?' she asked absently. Deakins chuckled.

'Eames, face it – you're the _only _one Bobby listens to. If he won't listen to you, we've lost our super-detective.'

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Bobby wandered to his desk, feeling lost and alone. Eames was standing with Deakins, whispering intently. Bobby knew that they were talking about him. It wasn't hard to work out that when your partner makes funny gestures with her hand across her throat and shakes her head, then gets pulled aside that she's about to be spoken to about the state of your mental health.

Bobby massaged his forehead. It had taken every ounce of professionalism he had to stop himself jumping into the cab and roaring off to the hospital to keep vigil at Maria's side. But Eames was right. He couldn't do anything now.

Bobby still heard the echo of the gunshot, the memory of Maria shoving him out of the way as the cartel member raised the gun. Bobby rummaged through his paperwork for an incident report as his memory played everything back in slow motion. How the bullet had hit Maria squarely in the chest, how the impact had jolted her violently backwards, how she had given Bobby a terrified look as her eyes had rolled back in her head and she had slumped to the floor with a clear thud...

Bobby's pencil broke, dragging him blessedly back to the present. Groaning, he reached for the sharpener he kept on his desk. As he rotated the pencil, Goren felt the surge of anger towards the cartel he had felt as he listened outside the door. _She was, IS a damn fine officer,_ Goren thought, as the pencil snapped again. Grumbling, he removed the broken lead and tried again. _She was doing her job. They had no RIGHT to do that to her..._ the pencil broke again.

Cursing under his breath, Bobby shook out the lead and repeated his efforts. _She is somebody's baby... she's MY baby! How dare they try and take her away from me? Do they LIKE causing people pain?_ Unaware that he was turning the pencil at a furious pace, Goren's pencil snapped for a third time. Thoroughly angry by this point, Bobby pulled the lead out and threw it across the room, trying for a fourth time.

_Did they think that by taking her away, I'd just lay down and die? That I would let it rest because I had nothing left? Didn't they reckon that I would hunt down every one of the bastards until I had shot them all, until they paid for the suffering they caused me?_

The pencil snapped.

Bobby looked at it for a moment. Slamming it down on his desk with a sharp bang that made the other officers jump, he buried his head in his hands. He was well aware that Eames and Deakins were watching him. He didn't care. If they were going to think that he was losing it, he might as well play the part. If Maria died, he would have nothing left. For most of his life, Bobby had felt a hole inside of him. When he had met Eames, that hole had been partially filled. But there was always a part of him missing. When he had saved Maria from the mugger, spoken with her, taught her to dance... Bobby smiled. He had found the missing piece.

'Come on,' Eames' voice drifted into his head. Goren looked up. Eames stood at the side of his desk.

'What?' he asked softly. Eames jangled the keys to the SUV.

'I'm taking you home for a sleep, Bobby. You can't fool anyone; you are in no condition to work at the moment. I'll finish the paperwork'- Eames said quickly as Bobby opened his mouth to protest –' because if you keep going with that pencil, you're likely to completely demolish it.'

Goren closed his mouth. She was right. As usual. He bowed his head.

'Alright,' he replied gruffly, defeated. Alex nodded. The trick was to be firm with Bobby. If he thought he could get his own way, he would. Alex handed him his jacket.

'I'll pick you up after work and take you to see Maria if you promise me that you will not leave your apartment,' Eames said seriously, like a school teacher talking to a pupil. Goren shrugged into his jacket and nodded glumly.

'Sure,' he said. In all truth, Bobby didn't feel like arguing. He didn't have a lot of energy. When Eames had proposed that he go home, he was half glad that she had said it. He was sure it wasn't her idea, though. Deakins would have put her up to it, but she wouldn't have done it if she didn't think that he needed it. Bobby stood up. He could always count on Eames to stand up for him. Alex tapped him on the arm.

'Come on, big guy,' she said softly.

'Time to go home.'

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Bobby slumped on the couch with a mug of coffee that Eames had made for him before she had left to go back to precinct, after promising him repeatedly that she would call him if she got any news of any changes in Maria's condition. He had planned on going to bed for a nap, but his hyper-active mind was racing at a million miles an hour. He got up off the couch and dug out the battered CD Maria loved so much. He read the title.

'_Beautiful Life_, huh,' Bobby snorted. As far as he saw it, if life was so beautiful, why was it trying to take Maria away from him?

He opened the CD player and popped the disc in. As he wandered back and collapsed on the couch, the words that Maria had hummed to him in bed on their first night together poured out of the speakers. Bobby found himself crying silent tears as Guy sang of loving someone and not being able to tell them because of being too afraid that they didn't feel the same. Bobby listened as Guy sang, telling of how things finally came to a head and expressing his love for the girl.

'God, you don't know how right you are,' Goren whispered to the stereo, as the last bars of _Kryptonite_ finished. The phone gave a shrill ring, causing him to jump. Goren sped across the living room and grabbed the phone.

'Yes? Detective Goren here.'

'Goren, it's Eames.'

'God, Eames, is it that late already? I didn't notice the time. Are you on your way to pick me up?'

'No Goren, I'm not. I just got a call from the hospital, informing me about Maria's condition.'

Goren squeezed the phone tightly, his large knuckles turning white. Shaking all over, he swallowed.

'And... and... and?'

'And... she's stable. She's going to be fine.'

**A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. For those interested, the music I refer to in this story comes from the Australian artist Guy Sebastian's second album, _Beautiful Life_, a brilliant collection of contemporary R'n'B and jazz. For those interested (overseas) you can order it through Amazon. I do not own the rights to it or him (I wish!), but I highly recommend it. Never fear, I will be including a soundtrack list at the finale. This is not it.**


	7. Chapter Seven: At The End, Of All Things...

The Temptation of Goren: Part Seven.

(If you haven't read the previous disclaimers, go and do so. They're all the same. Thanks to blucougar57 for the review. Yes, Bobby deserves someone OTHER than Alex. And yes, you are right.)

Goren almost dropped the phone in relief. The pain in his heart was quickly replaced with the absolute joy of having Maria back.

'O-oh, oh m-my god,' he said shakily, sobbing down the phone.

'Goren! Get it together!' Eames' voice came sharply from the receiver. Goren collapsed in shock into his chair next to the phone.

'I-I'm sorry Eames, I-I j-just...' Goren stuttered, still shaking. The receiver went dead for a moment.

'I know, Bobby. I'm relieved, too,' Eames replied, her voice softer.

'So... when can we go and see her?'

'The hospital said she's still unconscious but she's stable enough for us to see her tonight. I'll pick you up in a hour or so.'

'Alright, see you then,' Bobby replied, putting the phone down. He ran a hand through his dark hair. It turned out that life _was_ beautiful, after all.

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Alex put the phone down and smiled. Deakins noticed her grin.

'What's tickled your funny-bone?' he asked. Alex jerked her head up.

'Wha-? Oh. It's nothing, really. I just called Bobby with the good news.'

'What good news?'

'I just got a call from the hospital. Maria's in a stable condition, but she's still unconscious. We can go and visit her tonight. I called Bobby and told him I'd pick him up after work,' Eames replied, her smile broadening. Deakins smiled.

'What's her stats?'

'The bullet punctured a lung, but the medics arrived on time to save her. Luckily it missed her major arteries and lodged under one of her ribs,' Alex said. Deakins cringed.

'That's gotta be painful.'

'That's what I said. According to the doctor, it's amazing she survived at all.'

Deakins made his way back to his office.

'Eames?'

'Yes, Captain.'

'Have you filled out the incident report?'

Alex held up the form that Bobby had started filling in before she took him home. Deakins nodded.

'Good work. Would you mind if I visited Maria myself?'

'Of course not. I daresay that she would be honoured to have her CO visit her in hospital,' Alex replied. Deakins nodded again, a smile playing on the corners of his mouth.

'I don't know what it is about your niece, Eames, but you just can't help but want to protect her,' he said, before he turned and left the floor. Eames smiled and went back to her paperwork. _You and Bobby both_, she thought.

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Alex parked the SUV outside Bobby's apartment, ready to go in and get him. Ten seconds later, he came flying out, still pulling on his jacket. Keeping her chuckle to herself, Alex started the engine as her partner slammed into the seat beside her, looking as if he had had pure caffeine intravenously fed directly into his bloodstream. He looked at Eames.

'Well? Are we going or not?' he asked irritably. Alex just grinned and gunned the engine. The pair arrived at the hospital minutes later.

Bobby leapt out of the car and dashed up the steps. He skidded to a halt in front of the reception desk.

'Where can I find Maria Eames?' he gasped, flashing his badge. The receptionist gave him a wide-eyed look and pointed to the stairs on his left.

'Third room on the right, second level ICU,' the girl said, gulping. Goren nodded and ran up the stairs. The receptionist turned to Alex, who had just arrived behind her partner.

'Is he always like that?' she asked. Alex sighed.

'Pretty much.'

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Bobby stood quietly outside Maria's room. She was hooked up to the usual monitors, but there was something about having someone you love connected to those machines that ripped at your heartstrings. Bobby felt Alex beside him long before she spoke.

'I hate seeing her like this,' Alex murmured, watching her niece sleep. Bobby tightened his arms across his chest.

'What about the perp?'

'Dead. Died from a gunshot wound similar to Maria's, but he wasn't as lucky,' Alex replied, staring through the window. Bobby frowned. _Death was too good for the bastard. He should have been left in jail to rot_...

'Detective Goren? Detective Eames?' came a voice from behind them. Goren craned his neck to see a young nurse approaching them with a clipboard.

'Yes, that's us,' Alex said clearly in her 'Miss-Professional' voice. The nurse nodded.

'You'd be here to see Maria. Your captain called, said he'd be on his way in around half an hour,' the nurse said, looking down at her notes. Alex grinned.

'Can we go in and see Maria?' Bobby asked softly.

'Yes, but you must be quiet. She's just come out of surgery and probably won't thank you if you wake her up,' the nurse replied, opening the door for them. Bobby thanked her and made way for Alex to go in first. The room smelled of disinfectant and bleach, was painted mental-institution white and was freezing cold. Bobby hated it. He sat down gingerly in a spindly chair and looked at Alex.

'Can't we get her transferred to a private hospital? I don't like this place,' he said softly. Alex shook her head.

'The precinct just doesn't have the funds for it these days,' she replied, watching Maria sleep. Bobby turned his attention back to his resting girlfriend.

'She looks so peaceful, doesn't she?' he whispered, tilting his head to the side. Alex smiled. Even when his girlfriend was in hospital, his cop instincts didn't switch off.

'Look at her eyes; the laughter creases are almost totally smooth,' Bobby continued, indicating the area in question with his right middle finger. Alex chuckled to herself.

'Her eyebrows aren't as close-knit and her shoulders are relaxed, she must be in a deep sleep...'

'...well I was until you started poking at my face, Bobby,' Maria croaked from behind her closed eyes. Bobby jumped, to a sickening crack from the chair he sat on. Maria blinked her eyes open and managed a weak smile.

'Hello, Detective Goren,' she whispered. Bobby was in tears. Alex just smiled.

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Deakins parked his car outside of the hospital and quietly locked it. It was about six o'clock and it was getting dark. He wondered if his junior detective was still allowed visitors this late. He made his way up the stairs and caught the receptionist's attention.

'Excuse me, could you please tell me where I can find Maria Eames?' he asked politely, showing his badge. The receptionist's face dawned in recognition.

'Oh, you'd be Captain Deakins, wouldn't you? The nurse in ICU told me that you'd be here,' the girl replied. Deakins smiled kindly. _Hurry up, girl..._

'Yeah, she's second level, ICU, third door on the right. Detectives Goren and Eames are already here,' she continued, indicating the stairs. Deakins thanked her and sped up the stairs. He located the door and peered through the window. Maria was awake and Goren was holding her hand gently in his own paw-like one. Deakins smiled. _So he finally got his head screwed on... well done Goren, you've just cracked your biggest case yet,_ he thought.

The captain quietly opened the door to the room. Maria, Alex and Bobby all looked up. Bobby quickly dropped Maria's hand. He sprang up off the chair.

'Nice to see you, Deakins,' he said in a low rumble, wringing his hands slightly. Deakins laughed.

'Sit down, Goren. I saw it all and I'm not going to complain. I know all about you and Maria, so don't insult my intelligence by trying to cover it up,' Deakins replied. Bobby's face broke into a look of relief as he sunk back into his chair and resumed holding Maria's hand. Maria smiled at her CO.

'It's good to see you, Captain,' she wheezed. James Deakins smiled at her.

'I'm not condoning what you did today, Detective. Going on a solo operation with no back-up in place was very stupid, especially for someone with a track record like your own...'

'But sir, I...' Maria began, but Deakins held up a hand.

'- but I'm willing to overlook it this once. To fill you in, your head-strong mission led to three arrests and six leads which will culminate with the certainty that the Gotham Cartel will be shut down for good,' Deakins finished. Maria beamed at him, at her aunt, then at Bobby. Bobby squeezed her hand gently.

'Well done, Detective,' he said softly.

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Maria winced as Bobby helped her down the stairs in front of the hospital two days later. The fracture in her ribs that the bullet had caused was still painful, even though she was on pain-killers. Bobby noticed her grimace, so he swept her up into his arms and carried her down the final three steps. Alex rolled her eyes at the pair, but Maria threw him a grateful look.

She crawled into the back of Alex's SUV and buckled in for the trip home. Bobby craned around to see her from the front passenger seat.

'Are you al-alright back there? I mean, are-are you _sure_ that you don't need...?'

'I'm _fine_ Bobby, it's going to take more than a bullet wound to break me, I assure you,' Maria replied gently. Bobby nodded and turned back in his seat. Alex jumped in and started the engine. The trio drove back to Alex's apartment and made sure that Maria was comfortable before Alex and Bobby headed back to the precinct. As they arrived on their level, they found Deakins and Carver waiting for them.

'She's out of hospital?' Carver asked as Eames and Goren, super-detectives, walked out of the lift.

'Yes Carver, she's out of hospital and she's doing fine,' Alex replied, gently squeezing her partner's hand out of sight. Bobby grinned. Deakins noticed his boyish smile but said nothing.

'Then I expect my senior detectives back on the job with no further interruptions,' Deakins said authoritatively, trying for a rise in Goren. He didn't get one. Chuckling, Deakins retreated to his office, leaving his senior detectives with Carver. Carver watched the CO disappear.

'Intriguing man, Deakins,' he said softly, turning to Eames.

'I assume that the appropriate paperwork has been filled out about the junior Detective Eames' incident?'

'Filled and filed, Carver. Wouldn't want the A.D.A down on me, now would I?' Eames smirked. Carver grinned. He shook Bobby's hand.

'That was stupid, what you did for Maria, man. Brave, but stupid,' Carver said jovially. Bobby didn't know if he should give Carver his monthly glower or a grin. So he just pumped the D.A's hand.

'Thanks... I think,' Bobby replied as Carver farewelled them and left the office. Alex turned to Bobby.

'Well partner, it's back to the nose-grind for us. Wonder if we'll have a _normal_ day once in a while?'

Bobby laughed.

'Eames, in our line of work, _nothing_ is out of the ordinary.'

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Maria heard the lift bell strike as she arrived on the MCS level of One, Police Plaza. As it was her first day back at work after the shooting, she'd begged her aunt _not_ to make a big thing of it.

'Please, I just want to go back to work _quietly_,' Maria had begged her aunt. Alex, reading the newspaper, had shrugged.

'I'm not going to do anything, Maria. I think that you going straight back to work is a good idea. The more quietly, the better,' she had mumbled. Yet Maria hadn't believed her. Which was why she was so nervous getting off the elevator. Stepping out onto the floor, Maria peered around, searching for anything that might indicate a surprise. She'd left Alex's apartment early that morning to avoid her aunt. She'd stopped outside Bobby's flat, considering if she should go in and drive him to work. But the blinds pulled down in the window stopped her. If he was still asleep, she didn't want to wake him up. He was so cute when he was asleep...

'SURPRISE!' came the roar at her desk. Maria stopped dead in her tracks. Bobby Goren stood sheepishly under a massive banner reading 'WELCOME BACK MARIA AND WELL DONE!'. Captain Deakins stood with D.A Carver, along with her aunt and half of the precinct. As Deakins and Carver started up a chant of 'For She's a jolly good fellow', Maria side-lined her aunt.

'I thought I said no parties?' Maria whispered, her cheeks pinking. Alex laughed.

'This wasn't my idea. Bobby arranged everything,' Alex said. Bobby inched forward, a bashful grin on his face. Maria beamed and threw her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek.

'Thank you, Bobby, but you didn't have to,' she said softly. Bobby smiled and dropped down on one knee. Whistles and cheers went up from the crowd. Maria reddened.

'Bobby? What are you doing? Get up now!' Maria hissed.

'I didn't do this right the first time, so shut up and let me get this out,' Bobby said.

'Maria Eames, from the moment I first met you, I felt that I had found the missing piece of myself that I have been searching all these years for. You are the only one that I ever felt _truly_ understood me and I love you. I love as a detective, as a friend and as a woman. Now I want to love you as something else,' Bobby said, reaching into his pocket and taking out a small box. Opening it, he offered it up to Maria, who gasped. It was a platinum diamond ring. Bobby cleared his throat, a look of uncertainty on his face.

'Maria Eames, keep your promise to me. Will you marry me?'

The precinct went so quiet that if someone had dropped a pin, it would have been heard on the floor below. Maria looked at her aunt, then back at Bobby.

'Yes, Bobby,' she whispered. Bobby's face broke into a joyful smile.

'Yes, I will marry you.'

**A/N: And so ends The Temptation Of Goren. As promised, I am including a soundtrack list.**

**For Chapter One:**

**Oh Oh – Guy Sebastian**

**Beautiful Life – Guy Sebastian**

**Kryptonite – Guy Sebastian**

**Chapter Two:**

**Behind These Hazel Eyes – Kelly Clarkson**

**Behind Blue Eyes – Limp Bizkit**

**Chapter Three:**

**How – Guy Sebastian (this song is for all you BA romance-lovers out there. If you don't know the words, I can e-mail you a copy)**

**Chapter Four:**

**Like A Friend – Blue**

**Chapter Five:**

**1. I Stand For You – Nick Carter**

**2. Everything I Do (I do it for you) – Bryan Adams**

**Chapter Six:**

**1. Make Heaven Wait – Guy Sebastian**

**2. If Tomorrow Never Comes – Ronan Keating**

**Chapter Seven:**

**1. Let's Get Married – 112**

**2. U Got It Bad - Usher**

**I'd be interested to hear from any reviewers as to which fanfic they'd like to read next: Redemption Song (marriage of Goren and Maria) or Junior On Staff (When Maria was still at Sydney Homicide and learns about Goren for the first time).**


	8. Chapter Eight: Epilogue AN

The Temptation Of Goren: Author's notes:

I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this story and everyone who is currently following _Redemption Song_. Kudos go to my faithfuls, you know who you are, but here's a guest list: MariskaRose (who debuted as Sophie, Alex's neighbour), TriStateCopFan, blucougar57 and Lallyb. You guys are awesome.

This story was initially supposed to be a one-shot. Fat lot of good that turned out to be! Lol! But thank you to everyone who insisted that I write more.

For 'fans' of Maria, I am intending to start the prequel to TTOG: _Junior On Staff_. Some of you will remember from _Redemption Song_ that Maria mentions her ex-boyfriend, David. Well, here's a sneak preview: David Callea (-snorts at own stupid joke-) makes his first appearance in _Junior_ as Maria's new partner. They don't get off to a good start at ALL, but this quickly changes.

Anyway, in case any of you are wondering where I got the inspiration to write these stories from, I shall let you in on the secret. I had the idea of a fan fiction for _Redemption Song_ half formulated in my head, but I wanted a connection for Goren to the church. Then I came up with a small plot for TTOG: Goren meets a wonderful woman who he struggles to be with, but eventually finds true happiness with (as most of you know I'm not a big fan of the whole Bobby-Alex shindig). Then I decided that _I_ wanted in on the action. So I created Maria: a fictional version of myself about four years from now. I built the plot around the relationship between the two characters and then, out of sheer insanity, decided that I would make Maria Alex's ostentatious niece! It was a spanner in the works, especially for Eames' and Goren's working relationship, not to mention their off-duty closeness.

So there you have it, a fairly short summary of my intentions and inspirations. Don't forget to keep following _Redemption Song_. It's a mystery to me as well as yourselves! I haven't worked out who the murderer is yet!

Guy-fully yours in Bobby Goren Land!

Keep safe!

Lina Baggins (aka Gemstar)


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